Michaela Haas
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Michaela Haas’s Biography
Read Full Bio →Michaela Haas, Ph.D., is an award-winning reporter and author of five non-fiction books, most recently Bouncing Forward: The Art & Science of Cultivating Resilience (Atria). She is a contributing editor for David Byrne’s Reasons to be Cheerful and for Rotary International Magazine, and a columnist for the Süddeutsche Zeitung, while she also works as a freelance West Coast reporter for international media. In the U.S., her articles have appeared in the New York Times, Mother Jones, Al Jazeera, t…
Michaela Haas’s Journalist Portfolio
Interview
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Awards
See all 7 awards →Professional Excellence Award
2023 - Correspondent
Professional Excellence Award 2022-2023 from the Foreign Press Correspondents Association&Club (AFPC-USA),
American Society of Journalists and Authors ASJA
2022 - First Place Health Writing
This piece was a stand-out for writing and the degree of reporting that went into it, as well as being a compelling story tied to big societal issues. We were knocked out by the emotional power of the story that let us see directly into their everyday lives in such a raw way. That really connects readers with the people and made the science reporting inviting and accessible. bit.ly/3kR6GAf
Los Angeles Press Club Award
2023 - Columnist
“What Growing Up in Rural Germany Taught Me About Gun Safety” https://bit.ly/3YjifTb Comment: A very interesting and insightful perspective of American gun culture coming from a non-native now living in this country. Well written and backed up by data.
Los Angeles Press Club Award
2021 - Environmental Reporting
Michaela Haas, Curbed LA, “The Fight to Save Broad Beach” https://bit.ly/3sTvLNz Judges’ comment: "A masterful exploration of the near-impossible situation facing Malibu homeowners. The use of iconic Hollywood moments is particularly effective."
Los Angeles Press Club Award
2024 - Solutions Journalism
Second Place Solutions Journalism for Navigating the Waves Surf therapy is being embraced — from the US Navy to the British health service — as a surprisingly effective treatment for depression, anxiety and trauma.
Los Angeles Press Club Award
2021 - Solutions Journalism
The New York Times story about a sophisticated co-op won second place in Solutions Reporting: “When Someone Hires Me, They Get the Boss Herself” Can a sophisticated platform cooperative help minimize exploitative working conditions in the gig economy, even during the pandemic? Read the feature here https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/07/opinion/gig-economy-immigrants-fair-wage.html
Los Angeles Press Club Award
2025 - Solutions Journalism
67th Southern California Journalism Awards Michaela Haas, Reasons to be Cheerful, “Growing Corn in the Desert, No Irrigation Required” https://shorturl.at/u7tHG Judges’ comment: This article shows how traditional methods, used for thousands of years, can offer real solutions to modern problems like drought—especially in dry places like Arizona. The Hopi grow crops without irrigation, relying on rainfall and deep planting techniques. It’s a powerful reminder that Indigenous knowledge has a lot to teach us about sustainability and resilience.